Podcasts about reforge

In this podcast, we will explore how AI is transforming the consumer subscription ecosystem. Joining us is Phil Carter, Founder & CEO of Elemental Growth, a leading growth advisory firm helping subscription-based businesses scale.With a background in venture capital, product leadership, and growth strategy, Phil has helped companies like Faire, Quizlet, and Ibotta build world-class products and accelerate revenue. As a venture advisor at NEA, an angel investor, and a growth instructor at Reforge, he brings a wealth of experience in optimizing subscription models.We'll also break down AI-driven growth strategies, the biggest opportunities and challenges for consumer and prosumer AI businesses, and how indie developers can leverage AI to maximize revenue, retention, and engagement.You will discover:✅ How AI is reshaping the consumer subscription industry✅ Proven strategies to optimize growth, pricing, and retention using AI✅ Key opportunities & challenges for consumer and prosumer AI businessesLearn More about Phil Carter:Website: https://www.philgcarter.com/ Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/029lVEQEcoCsPTluWun8Zq Substack: https://philgcarter.substack.com/ Maven Course: https://maven.com/philcarter/consumer-subscription-growthWork with us to grow your apps faster & cheaper: http://www.appmasters.com/Get training, coaching, and community: ⁠https://appmastersacademy.com/*********************************************SPONSORSLooking for the best alternative to Firebase Dynamic Links?The Airbridge DeepLink Plan is a smart, straightforward alternative to Firebase Dynamic Links.With ready-to-use expertise and no-code migration in just three steps, switching to Airbridge DeepLinks is simple and easy.Keep your customer journeys intact with essential deep linking and analytics. Make the switch before the deadline.Go to appmasters.com/airbridge.*********************************************Follow us:YouTube: ⁠AppMasters.com/YouTube⁠Instagram: ⁠@App MastersTwitter: ⁠@App MastersTikTok: ⁠@stevepyoung⁠Facebook: ⁠App Masters⁠*********************************************

In this podcast, we will explore how AI is transforming the consumer subscription ecosystem. Joining us is Phil Carter, Founder & CEO of Elemental Growth, a leading growth advisory firm helping subscription-based businesses scale.With a background in venture capital, product leadership, and growth strategy, Phil has helped companies like Faire, Quizlet, and Ibotta build world-class products and accelerate revenue. As a venture advisor at NEA, an angel investor, and a growth instructor at Reforge, he brings a wealth of experience in optimizing subscription models.We'll also break down AI-driven growth strategies, the biggest opportunities and challenges for consumer and prosumer AI businesses, and how indie developers can leverage AI to maximize revenue, retention, and engagement.You will discover:✅ How AI is reshaping the consumer subscription industry✅ Proven strategies to optimize growth, pricing, and retention using AI✅ Key opportunities & challenges for consumer and prosumer AI businessesLearn More about Phil Carter:Website: https://www.philgcarter.com/ Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/029lVEQEcoCsPTluWun8Zq Substack: https://philgcarter.substack.com/ Maven Course: https://maven.com/philcarter/consumer-subscription-growthWork with us to grow your apps faster & cheaper: http://www.appmasters.com/Get training, coaching, and community: ⁠https://appmastersacademy.com/*********************************************SPONSORSLooking for the best alternative to Firebase Dynamic Links?The Airbridge DeepLink Plan is a smart, straightforward alternative to Firebase Dynamic Links.With ready-to-use expertise and no-code migration in just three steps, switching to Airbridge DeepLinks is simple and easy.Keep your customer journeys intact with essential deep linking and analytics. Make the switch before the deadline.Go to appmasters.com/airbridge.*********************************************Follow us:YouTube: ⁠AppMasters.com/YouTube⁠Instagram: ⁠@App MastersTwitter: ⁠@App MastersTikTok: ⁠@stevepyoung⁠Facebook: ⁠App Masters⁠*********************************************

Nouvelle année, mais même format ! La Reforge revient avec un petit épisode consacré aux Kasrkin, jouables à Kill Team comme à Warhammer 40,000 ! Bonne écoute, et vengeance pour Cadia !

What if hitting rock bottom could be the best thing that ever happened to you? In this riveting episode of Thrive LouD with Lou Diamond, we dive deep into the incredible comeback story of Joe Rivera, a man who truly personifies resilience. Once a high-flying stockbroker on Wall Street, Joe shares the dark descent from the heights of financial success to battling substance abuse and losing everything. But this isn't just a story of loss; it's a powerful testimony of redemption and transformation. Listeners will be inspired by Joe's raw honesty as he recounts his journey from overdoses and hospital beds to becoming a motivational speaker and life coach. With the support of his family and a newfound spiritual connection, Joe forged a path to sobriety and rediscovered his purpose. Key highlights of this episode include: Joe's candid recount of the opiate introduction that spiraled his life out of control and the spiritual awakening that saved him. Insights into the importance of surrounding yourself with inspirational people who uplift and guide you. The role of faith and family in Joe's recovery and thriving success. How Joe turned adversity into a mission to help others reclaim their lives through his podcast, Reforge Your Life. Join us for a conversation that proves triumph can emerge from the deepest trials. This episode is not only a must-listen for those battling their own struggles but also for anyone seeking to assist others in their journey of transformation. Be prepared to shatter limitations and unlock your potential. Timestamped Overview 00:00 "Thrive Loud: Joe Rivera's Comeback" 05:50 Addiction: Turning Point Moment 09:05 Embracing Sobriety: A Journey Within 11:31 Faith, Family, and Personal Growth 15:45 Journey of Spirituality and Gratitude 18:33 "Finding Purpose Through Spiritual Transformation" 20:34 Inspiring Stories of Resilience 25:01 Choosing Between Asian and Italian Cuisine 27:12 Intentional Living Drives Success 31:11 Die-Hard Mets Fans' Hopes 2025   Follow Us:

About the Episode Elena Verna is a renowned growth consultant who has worked at and with a glittering array of well-known tech companies. She's a strong advocate of career optionality and solopreneurship, as well as the author of a popular growth newsletter, Reforge instructor and popular LinkedIn content creator with her insightful posts and searing memes. Just don't call her an influencer. Episode highlights:   1. Solopreneurship is about having optionality; it doesn't mean you never take a full-time job again. You can build a portfolio career with a variety of different offerings, and get involved in the types of problems that excite you. This feels risky, but people get laid off from "real" jobs all the time. The most important thing is to optimise for what you're passionate about, and it may well be that you move between full-time employment and advisory or fractional roles. It's not a one-way street, and you're in control. 2. Humour disarms people, so memes are a great way to talk about difficult topics and build empathy Content creators should not be scared of poking fun at meaningful topics. Using humour is a great way to help build connections with people around potentially sensitive areas. That doesn't mean you should make everything a joke, but you can certainly mix it up. You might think it's risky for a solopreneur, needing to build credibility, to be seen as an unserious clown. But, do you really want to work with people who can't take a joke? 3. Product-Led Sales is all about using self-service as a lever to fill up your sales pipeline with healthy, qualified leads Speaking of knowledge (nice segue!), Elena has written a lot about Product-Led Growth (PLG) and Product-Led Sales (PLS). PLG is the strategy of using your product as its own acquisition channel through enabling a great self-service experience, quick time-to-value and all the other things that B2C apps have had to worry about for years. PLS, on the other hand, is about filling your sales team's pipeline with high-quality leads that have already experienced your product through PLG, and demonstrated enough usage to make it worth having a data-backed conversation with the buyers at that organisation. 4. There are signals that it's time to try out Product-Led Sales Don't adopt PLS for the sake of it; instead, look for signals that it's appropriate for you. Traditional sales-led motions focus on the buyer but, if you solve a problem that matters more to end users than buyers, you should consider Product-Led Sales as a method for building internal champions and advocacy for your product. You should also be conscious of competitive threats; your traditional, top-down buyer-led sales motion may work today, but keep your eyes open for new PLG players attacking your underbelly. 5. You probably need new capabilities (and talent) within your organisation if you want to get started with Product-Led Sales. Let's face it, most sales-led organisations are terrified of giving sales prospects access to their product without supervision. The user experience is almost certainly terrible and there's no "Aha!" moment to speak of, just a pile of features that got added to satisfy procurement teams. You need to get a good product manager in to overhaul the experience, good product marketers to work on optimising acquisition, and great data analytics so you can make sure you aren't just sending garbage to the sales team. If you don't send them high-quality leads, they'll stop trying to sell to them. 6. Product-Led Sales is not an on/off switch but a dial. Traditional sales-led organisations that are crushing their quotas don't need to go down the product-led growth or product-led sales route if it doesn't work for them. Similarly, product-led companies shouldn't have to go upmarket to succeed. The most important thing to consider is how to build on your existing strengths and complement them, and getting the mix right. You can run both at the same time, and this is better than throwing all-in on a go-to-market motion where you have no credibility, experience or right to win. Contact Elena Check out Elena's newsletter and other work: ElenaVerna.com Follow Elena on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elenaverna/

Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.This episode is brought to you by Amplitude — сheck new Guides and Surveys to deliver helpful, well-timed messages: https://amplitude.com/guides-and-surveys —Welcome to Growthmates with Kate Syuma — Growth Advisor, ex-Miro. This season, “In the Company of Women,” is about celebrating women who successfully balance work, family, and creative passions while building meaningful careers.Growthmates is a place to connect with inspiring leaders and help you grow—personally and professionally. Learn how companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Canva, Loom, and more build world-class products and growth cultures.In this episode, Kate Syuma and Elena Verna dive into a conversation about career evolution, growth strategies, and navigating transitions. With experience at SurveyMonkey, Miro, Dropbox, Reforge, and Malwarebytes, Elena shares her journey from leading growth at major companies to building a successful solopreneurship and transitioning back to a full-time role.They explore the non-linear career shifts, defining your "superpower zone," and setting boundaries for sustainable success. Elena also breaks down how companies can move from product-led growth to product-led sales, sharing insights on recognizing early signals and layering strategies for long-term growth.

Nouveau format court pour Land Rider ! Cette fois, on embarque pour les Royaumes Mortels pour passer en revue le récent kit des Liberators pour la gamme des Stormcast Eternals.

Today on the show, we have Brian Balfour, the Founder and CEO of Reforge and former VP of Growth at HubSpot.In this episode, Brian shares his perspective on the foundational laws of retention that remain unchanged, even as AI continues to transform the way we build and grow products.We then discussed why many AI products are struggling with high churn, the role of natural usage frequency in product retention, and how businesses can avoid falling into the trap of ignoring core retention principles.We wrapped up by exploring how AI is reshaping product teams, why product-market fit collapse is happening faster than ever, and how companies can navigate the new challenges of AI-native product development.Mentioned ResourcesBrian BalfourReforgeChurn.FM Episode 1 | Churn is the silent killerThe 4 Growth Frameworks You Need to Build a $100M ProductInvest Like the Best: Dylan Field – Designing the FutureChurn FM is sponsored by Vitally, the all-in-one Customer Success Platform.

Brian Balfour, Founder & CEO of Reforge, shares raw insights from his entrepreneurial journey. From navigating burnout and sleep disorders to rebuilding trust after tough feedback, Brian reflects on the challenges that shaped his leadership philosophy and personal growth.Brian opens up about:Feeling “broken” during a burnout moment that forced him to step back and resetStruggling with imposter syndrome and comparing himself to peers like Mark ZuckerbergLessons learned from career lows, including a product shutdown and a legal battleThings to listen for:(00:00) Brian Balfour: burnout and feeling broken(02:33) Building deeper connections through vulnerability(07:27) Launching Reforge Insight Analytics(12:28) Lessons from Brian's first startup vs. Facebook(19:12) Overcoming feeling stuck by taking action(29:31) Thanks to our sponsors for this episode, Navattic & Appcues(27:09) Career lows and lessons in resilience(33:34) Managing burnout and physical health(41:10) Handling direct feedback and rebuilding trust(50:43) Creating boundaries between work and familyThis episode is presented by:Navattic: Interactive Product Demo Software - https://navattic.com/value Appcues: User Engagement for SaaS - https://appcues.com/value Resources:Connect with Brian:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bbalfour/ Website: https://brianbalfour.com/ Reforge: https://www.reforge.com/ Connect with Andrew:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewcapland/ Substack: https://media.deliveringvalue.coHire Andrew as your coach: https://deliveringvalue.co/coaching

What's up everyone, today we have the pleasure of sitting down with Sarah Krasnik Bedell, Director, Growth Marketing at Prefect. Summary: What happens when a data engineer with an obsession for truth-testing crashes into marketing's sacred cows? Sarah's journey from code to campaigns unfolds like a detective story, where she picks apart marketing myths and rebuilds them with an engineer's precision. Her fresh take transforms marketing tools from black boxes into purposeful instruments, while her approach to AI echoes "Limitless" - it's not about letting machines take the wheel, but supercharging human creativity. Whether you're wrestling with developer outreach or trying to get sales and marketing teams to actually talk to each other, Sarah's technical-meets-tactical perspective offers a compelling roadmap for modern marketing that actually works.About SarahSarah studied math and cognitive science before completing a masters in data scienceShe started her career at Amsted working on data aggregation and machine learning models and eventually moved to a customer-centric role where she helped engineer data architecture for supply chain optimizationsShe had short stints in financial forecasting and company-wide data architectureShe then joined Perpay as a data engineer focused on product analytics as well as reverse-ETL for their marketing team. She was eventually promoted to Lead data eng, managing the full team of data engineers She's an Analytics and GTM Advisor for devtoolsToday she's Director of Growth Marketing at Prefect, a workflow orchestration tool for data and ML engineersUnconventional Paths From Data Engineering to Marketing LeadershipThe traditional career trajectory rarely follows a straight line, particularly in Sarah's fascinating pivot from data engineering to marketing. While leading the data engineering team at Perpay, she found herself knee-deep in an Iterable implementation project that would unknowingly alter her professional DNA. This wasn't just another technical integration; it was a complex orchestration of customer data streams, product catalogs, and audience segmentation capabilities that secretly doubled as an apprenticeship in modern marketing mechanics.Marketing technology projects have a peculiar way of revealing their true nature over time. What begins as lines of code and data pipelines often transforms into something far more intriguing: a window into the soul of marketing operations. Sarah discovered that while her peers remained captivated by the elegance of their code, she found herself increasingly magnetized by the downstream impact of these technical solutions. This subtle shift in perspective proved transformative, compelling her to venture beyond the comfortable confines of engineering meetings and into the dynamic world of marketing strategy sessions.The pandemic's isolation birthed unexpected opportunities, as Sarah's technical writing began attracting attention in the data community. What started as casual documentation of her engineering adventures morphed into paid writing engagements, creating a surprising bridge between technical expertise and marketing communications. This organic evolution suggested something more profound lurking beneath the surface, a hidden pathway connecting the precision of data engineering with the artistry of marketing strategy.The final pieces of her transition fell into place through a combination of hands-on consulting work, mentorship from industry veterans, and immersion in marketing literature. Her participation in the Reforge community added structured learning to her toolkit, while her unique perspective as a former technical buyer provided invaluable insights into marketing dynamics. This multifaceted approach to learning, mixing practical experience with theoretical knowledge, transformed what might have seemed like an improbable leap into a natural progression.Key takeaway: Career transitions in technology rarely require formal education; they thrive on practical experience and curiosity. The most valuable skills often develop through side projects, technical writing, and a willingness to understand the business impact of your work. For those considering a similar path, start by documenting your technical experiences, engaging with cross-functional teams, and focusing on how your current role impacts business outcomes rather than just technical implementations.First Principles Marketing Against Best PracticesMarketing orthodoxy often goes unchallenged, with practitioners blindly following conventional wisdom without questioning its validity. Sarah brings a refreshing perspective to this dilemma, approaching marketing strategies with an engineer's skepticism and a commitment to first principles thinking. This natural inclination to question established norms stems from her background in data engineering, where decisions require rigorous validation rather than mere acceptance of industry standards.The notion that Tuesday morning at 8 AM represents the optimal time for email sends exemplifies the kind of unexamined marketing wisdom that pervades the industry. Rather than accepting such practices at face value, Sarah advocates for a two-pronged approach: first envisioning the ideal outcome, then assessing what's practically achievable within existing constraints. This methodology creates space for innovation while maintaining pragmatic boundaries, allowing marketers to challenge assumptions without losing sight of business objectives.The parallel between architectural decisions in software engineering and strategic choices in marketing reveals an interesting pattern. Just as engineers must carefully consider system architecture before writing code, marketers benefit from establishing solid strategic foundations before diving into tactical execution. This shift in focus from immediate implementation to thoughtful strategy design represents a more sophisticated approach to marketing operations, one that prioritizes intentional decision-making over reflexive adoption of industry practices.In the context of accelerating AI adoption, this first-principles approach becomes even more crucial. Rather than immediately jumping to content creation or campaign execution, successful marketing strategies begin with fundamental questions about audience selection, engagement methods, and value proposition. This methodical approach ensures that technological tools serve strategic objectives rather than dictating them, maintaining human judgment at the core of marketing decisions.Key takeaway: Transform your marketing approach by questioning established practices and applying first-principles thinking. Start by clearly defining your ideal outcome, then work backward to create practical strategies that challenge conventional wisdom. This method often reveals more effective approaches than blindly following industry "best practices." When evaluating any marketing tactic, ask yourself: "What problem are we really trying to solve, and is this truly the most effective solution?"Systems Thinking Applications For Marketing AnalyticsSystems thinking represents the essential bridge between marketing and data engineering, offering a framework for understanding how data flows through modern marketing operations. The ability to visualize and architect data pathways across platforms separates proficient marketing technologists from those merely executing tactical campaigns. This foundational skill proves invaluable when orchestrating the complex dance of customer data across marketing systems.Consider the journey of a single lead signal as it traverses through various marketing platforms. The ...

What's up everyone, welcome to our first episode of 2025 – today we have the pleasure of sitting down with Austin Hay, Co-Founder and Co-CEO at Clarify and Martech Teacher at Reforge. Summary: Something extraordinary is brewing in the world of martech. In the near future, Austin thinks AI agents will turn into an omniscient digital butler, anticipating your needs with uncanny precision while vanishing into the background of your workday. But the real revolution unfolds in the seemingly mundane machinery of marketing operations, where innovative companies are transforming their spaghetti mess of data pipes and platforms into something approaching digital poetry. The fundamental building blocks of our systems aren't disappearing, they're gaining superpowers. Hear it from one of our industry's most thoughtful builders. About AustinAustin started his career at Accenture but he left the Fortune 500 world to join a startup called Branch where he became the 4th employeeAustin then created his own boutique mobile growth engineering consultancy. He grew the practice to 1.5M with big names like Walmart, Jet, Airbnb, Foursquare and more.His consulting practice was aqui-hired by mParticle – a leading CDP solution where he would eventually become VP of Growth He later joined Runway as VP of Business OperationsHe also started building The Marketing Technology Academy – an online learning center for martech which he would eventually sell to Reforge and become the Instructor for the new Martech courseHe was also Head of Martech at Ramp, a fintech startupLast year, Austin strapped on his jetpack and became a product founder at Clarify conquering SF and Hubspot and building the first flexible, intelligent CRM that people actually enjoy using. AI Agents and the Hidden Promise of Ambient ComputingLet's face it, manually feeding context to AI feels a bit like teaching a fish to ride a bicycle. Current AI systems, brilliant as they may be at crunching numbers and crafting responses, still stumble around our digital workspaces like a tourist without a map. Sure, they can write a decent blog post or solve complex equations, but they're essentially working with one hand tied behind their virtual back.Now, imagine your AI assistant as more of a digital detective, quietly observing and understanding everything happening on your screen. No more copying and pasting chunks of text or explaining what's in your Notion workspace for the hundredth time. Picture having a conversation with your computer while it maintains an almost supernatural awareness of your digital environment, from those buried Slack threads to that spreadsheet you've been avoiding. Recent demonstrations, like Kieran Flanagan's adventure with Gemini's screen reader, hint at this future, even if current versions move with all the grace of a sleepy sloth.The real magic kicks in when we start thinking about operating system-level integration. Platform-specific AI agents are like horses wearing blinders; they can only see what's directly in front of them. But desktop applications from companies like GPT and Anthropic are pushing toward something far more interesting: AI that can understand your entire digital world, not just a tiny slice of it. It's the difference between having a personal assistant who can only help you in the kitchen versus one who can manage your entire house.Here's where things get particularly juicy: this isn't some far-off sci-fi fantasy. We're looking at a five-year horizon where the clunky, permission-asking AI of today evolves into something far more sophisticated. The transformation won't happen overnight (sorry, instant gratification seekers), but when it does, we're talking about a 10x boost in productivity that makes current productivity hacks look like using a butter knife to cut down a forest.Key takeaway: While today's AI assistants feel like overeager interns requiring constant supervision, the next five years will usher in truly ambient AI that seamlessly integrates with our operating systems. The future isn't about teaching AI to understand us; it's about AI that already knows what we need, when we need it, across our entire digital landscape.The Limitations of AI Agent MarketplacesThe AI marketplace concept raises important questions about automation's role in our daily work. While downloading specialized AI agents for every task might sound appealing, reality suggests a different path forward. Current marketplace models mirror the Chrome extension ecosystem, where tools often remain peripheral rather than becoming essential to core workflows.Austin frames the central debate in venture capital circles clearly: will we depend on AI agents that require explicit commands, or will we embrace ambient intelligence that works proactively in the background? Looking at the CRM space, Austin points out a crucial consideration that many futurists overlook. You can't simply discard two decades of sales methodology and expect professionals to embrace a completely alien interface. Instead, sellers need familiar elements: contacts, companies, opportunities, and tasks, all presented in recognizable formats that align with established workflows.The intersection of traditional software and AI becomes particularly interesting when Austin discusses CDP platforms. Users expect certain fundamentals, like accessing persona views and tracking customer behavior. The innovation opportunity lies not in replacing these elements but in enhancing them through intelligent automation. Austin suggests that the key difference emerges in how these agents operate: will users actively assign tasks, or will agents run continuously in the background, performing expected functions without explicit direction?While some platforms champion what Austin calls the "jack of all trades" approach with Notion-style customizable workflows, he makes a compelling case for specialized, industry-specific solutions. This focused approach, where AI agents operate autonomously within well-defined parameters, might prove more valuable than a marketplace full of generic tools. Austin emphasizes that the more specialized you are in understanding user needs, the more effective your agentic experience can be, particularly when it runs seamlessly in the background without requiring constant configuration.The reality likely lies somewhere in between these two extremes. Certain straightforward tasks, like data enrichment for new records or basic categorization, seem well-suited for autonomous AI agents. However, more complex decisions involving customer lifecycle management, timing of promotional offers, or predictive modeling for next-best-action recommendations require deeper integration with historical data and sophisticated propensity models. The key to success may not be choosing between marketplace agents or integrated solutions, but rather understanding which approach best suits specific use cases and organizational needs.Key takeaway: Success in AI automation won't come from marketplace-driven point solutions but through deeply integrated, industry-specific AI that enhances existing workflows while maintaining familiar interfaces. Austin's insights suggest focusing on building AI that complements rather than replaces established business processes, creating tools that feel natural rather than revolutionary.The Core Primitives of Martech and the Path to Self-Designing APIsEver tried explaining Bitcoin to your grandparents? That's roughly how it feels watching companies try to skip straight to AI automation without understanding their data foundations. Austin breaks down the concept of primitives in martech, those fun...

Shaun Clowes is the chief product officer at Confluent and former CPO at Salesforce's MuleSoft and at Metromile. He was also the first head of growth at Atlassian, where he led product for Jira Agile and built the first-ever B2B growth team. In our conversation, we discuss:• Why most PMs are bad, and how to fix this• Why great AI products are all about the data• Why he changed his mind about being data-driven• How to build your B2B growth team• How to choose your next career stop• Much more—Brought to you by:• Enterpret—Transform customer feedback into product growth• BuildBetter—AI for product teams• Wix Studio—The web creation platform built for agencies—Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/why-great-ai-products-are-all-about-the-data-shaun-clowes—Where to find Shaun Clowes:• X: https://x.com/ShaunMClowes• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaun-clowes-80795014/• Website: https://shaunclowes.com/about-shaun• Reforge: https://www.reforge.com/profiles/shaun-clowes—Where to find Lenny:• Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com• X: https://twitter.com/lennysan• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/—In this episode, we cover:(00:00) Shaun's background(05:08) The state of product management(09:33) Becoming a 10x product manager(13:23) Specific ways to leverage AI in product management(17:15) Feedback rivers(19:20) AI's impact on data management(24:35) The future of enterprise businesses with AI(35:41) Data-driven decision-making(45:50) Building effective growth teams(50:18) The evolution of product-led growth(56:16) Career insights and decision-making(01:07:45) Failure corner(01:12:32) Final thoughts and lightning round—Referenced:• Steve Blank's website: https://steveblank.com/• Getting Out of the Building. 2 Minutes to See Why: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbMgWr1YVfs• OpenAI: https://openai.com/• Claude: https://claude.ai/• Sachin Rekhi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sachinrekhi/• Video: Building Your Product Intuition with Feedback Rivers: https://www.sachinrekhi.com/video-building-your-product-intuition-with-feedback-rivers• Confluent: https://www.confluent.io• Workday: https://www.workday.com/• Lenny and Friends Summit: https://lennyssummit.com/• A conversation with OpenAI's CPO Kevin Weil, Anthropic's CPO Mike Krieger, and Sarah Guo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxkvVZua28k• Anthropic: https://www.anthropic.com/• Salesforce: https://www.salesforce.com/• Atlassian: https://www.atlassian.com/• Jira: https://www.atlassian.com/software/jira• Ashby: https://www.ashbyhq.com/• Occam's razor: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occam%27s_razor• Breaking the rules of growth: Why Shopify bans KPIs, optimizes for churn, prioritizes intuition, and builds toward a 100-year vision | Archie Abrams (VP Product, Head of Growth at Shopify): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/shopifys-growth-archie-abrams• Charlie Munger quote: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/11903426-show-me-the-incentive-and-i-ll-show-you-the-outcome• Elena Verna on how B2B growth is changing, product-led growth, product-led sales, why you should go freemium not trial, what features to make free, and much more: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/elena-verna-on-why-every-company• The ultimate guide to product-led sales | Elena Verna: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-ultimate-guide-to-product-led• Metromile: https://www.metromile.com/• Tom Kennedy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-kennedy-37356b2b/• Building Wiz: the fastest-growing startup in history | Raaz Herzberg (CMO and VP Product Strategy): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/building-wiz-raaz-herzberg• Wiz: https://www.wiz.io• Colin Powell's 40-70 rule: https://www.42courses.com/blog/home/2019/12/10/colin-powells-40-70-rule• Detroiters on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/80165019• Glean: https://www.glean.com/• Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity: https://www.amazon.com/Radical-Candor-Kick-Ass-Without-Humanity/dp/1250103509• Listen: Five Simple Tools to Meet Your Everyday Parenting Challenges: https://www.amazon.com/Listen-Simple-Everyday-Parenting-Challenges/dp/0997459301• Empress Falls Canyon and abseiling: https://bmac.com.au/blue-mountains-canyoning/empress-falls-canyon-and-abseiling—Recommended books:• The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses: https://www.amazon.com/Lean-Startup-Entrepreneurs-Continuous-Innovation/dp/0307887898• Inspired: How to Create Products Customers Love: https://www.amazon.com/Inspired-Create-Products-Customers-Love/dp/0981690408—Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com.—Lenny may be an investor in the companies discussed. Get full access to Lenny's Newsletter at www.lennysnewsletter.com/subscribe

Wyatt sits down with Reforge VC's Alex Lin. In this episode: Alex's interdisciplinary road into crypto Innovation in blockchain infrastructure Crypto-powered consumer applications Learn more about Reforge, a blockchain and frontier tech investment firm.

Welcome to Growthmates with Kate Syuma — Growth advisor, previously Head of Growth Design at Miro. I'm building Growthmates as a place to connect with inspiring leaders to help you grow yourself and your product. Here you can learn how companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Canva, Loom, and many more are building excellent products and growth culture. Get all episodes and a free playbook for Growth teams on our brand-new website — growthmates.club, and press follow to support us on your favorite platforms.Listen now and subscribe on your favorite platforms — Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube (new!).In this episode: We're wrapping up this incredible season with a special twist! For the first time, host Kate Syuma switches roles and becomes the guest. Kate is interviewed by her friend and former colleague, Lana Kul, in an honest and vulnerable conversation about her first year as a solopreneur.—Brought to you by Command.ai — a user-focused platform offering an alternative to traditional popups or chatbots. Their AI “Copilot” answers questions, performs actions, and simplifies complex tasks. Use “Nudges” to guide users with timely, relevant messages, all within a no-code platform. Perfect for Product, Support, and Marketing teams to positively influence user behavior while respecting their needs:—Key highlights from this episode

Ep. 284 What if AI could double your email conversion rates overnight? Kipp and Kieran dive into the revolutionary AI strategies that are transforming the way we approach email marketing, featuring insights from Dan Wolchonok of Reforge. Learn more on how leveraging proprietary data can create hyper-personalized emails for increased engagement, the importance of seamlessly integrating AI solutions into existing workflows, and the innovative use of AI-generated content to make compelling email campaigns.  Mentions Dan Wolchonok https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielwolchonok/ Reforge https://www.reforge.com/ Grammarly https://www.grammarly.com/ Andrej Karpathy https://karpathy.ai/ Button Down AI Newsletter https://buttondown.com/ainews Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt We're creating our next round of content and want to ensure it tackles the challenges you're facing at work or in your business. To understand your biggest challenges we've put together a survey and we'd love to hear from you! https://bit.ly/matg-research Resource [Free] Steal our favorite AI Prompts featured on the show! Grab them here: https://clickhubspot.com/aip We're on Social Media! Follow us for everyday marketing wisdom straight to your feed YouTube: ​​https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGtXqPiNV8YC0GMUzY-EUFg  Twitter: https://twitter.com/matgpod  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matgpod  Join our community https://landing.connect.com/matg Thank you for tuning into Marketing Against The Grain! Don't forget to hit subscribe and follow us on Apple Podcasts (so you never miss an episode)! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-against-the-grain/id1616700934   If you love this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review https://link.chtbl.com/h9_sjBKH and share your favorite episodes with friends. We really appreciate your support. Host Links: Kipp Bodnar, https://twitter.com/kippbodnar   Kieran Flanagan, https://twitter.com/searchbrat  ‘Marketing Against The Grain' is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by The HubSpot Podcast Network // Produced by Darren Clarke.

Avec cet épisode, on inaugure un format court pour Land Rider : l'idée est de passer en revue un kit passé entre nos mains pour l'analyser sous toutes ses coutures : fluff, modélisme, possibilités de conversion, tout y passe ! Et pour cette première émission, on commence fort avec une analyse du Seigneur Solaire Leontus pour l'Astra Militarum.

Today on the show, we have Crystal Widjaja, Executive-in-Residence at Reforge and angel investor and advisor to several startups.In this episode, Crystal shares her expertise on activating growth through data-driven insights, focusing on the importance of well-structured retention funnels. She explains how to design impactful onboarding experiences, track the right metrics, and identify key points of abandonment to improve user activation and engagement.We then delve into the power of segmentation and discuss how understanding user behavior and traits can unlock exponential growth. Finally, we explore actionable tips for avoiding common data pitfalls and creating a culture of experimentation and improvement.Mentioned ResourcesRetention Funnels Google SheetSuperhuman EpisodeScale AIBounceMazeStanford UniversityGoTo GroupGojekAkshay KothariReforgeBrian BalfourMixpanelAmplitudeHotjarGeminiSegmentEleanor DorfmanNaked WinesGoogle AnalyticsCedric ChinCommoncogAB InBevLoomCanvaFigmaChurn FM is sponsored by Vitally, the all-in-one Customer Success Platform.

Welcome to Growthmates with Kate Syuma — Growth advisor, previously Head of Growth Design at Miro. I'm building Growthmates as a place to connect with inspiring leaders to help you grow yourself and your product. Here you can learn how companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Canva, Loom, and many more are building excellent products and growth culture. Get all episodes and a free playbook for Growth teams on our brand-new website — growthmates.club, and press follow to support us on your favorite platforms.Listen now and subscribe on your favorite platforms — Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube (new!).In this episode, Kate speaks with Benjamin Humphrey, founder of Dovetail, who opens up about his shift from corporate design roles to the challenges and rewards of startup life. Benjamin's story began as a designer at Atlassian before taking the leap into the unknown to create Dovetail, a user-focused product built to simplify research and UX processes. He delves into the defining moments that guided his journey, as well as the challenges of moving from a structured corporate environment to the entrepreneurial world.—Dovetail's mission is to improve the quality of every thing through the power of customer insights. In only six years, Dovetail has grown to drive research innovation at over 3,700 organizations including big brands like Harvard Business, Universal, Deloitte, Porsche, Starbucks, Shopify, Atlassian, Shell and more. Dovetail was deployed early at global design software company Canva, who set up its customer insights hub. Canva's product team has used Dovetail since the very beginning to analyze customer research data, uncovering insights that improve their product's user experience. Try out and start collecting your insights here → www.dovetail.com—Brought to you by Command.ai — a user-focused platform offering an alternative to traditional popups or chatbots. Their AI “Copilot” answers questions, performs actions, and simplifies complex tasks. Use “Nudges” to guide users with timely, relevant messages, all within a no-code platform. Perfect for Product, Support, and Marketing teams to positively influence user behavior while respecting their needs:—Key highlights from this episode

BossaBox: Um squad-as-a-service em até 10 dias | #podcast #empreendedorismo #podcastbrasil João Zanocelo é cofundador e Head de Produto & Marketing da BossaBox, startup que aloca e gere profissionais de tecnologia para empresas e scale-ups. Formado em Marketing pela ESPM, possui certificados na área de Produto e Design pela Reforge, Tera e Mergo. Fundada em 2017, a BossaBox é uma consultoria referência no modelo de squads-as-a-service no Brasil, que monta e gerencia times de tecnologia, produto e design sob demanda e de forma ágil para desenvolver produtos digitais de seus parceiros. A empresa garante desempenho em contrato e a senioridade dos profissionais das equipes é comprovada. A BossaBox se diferencia na velocidade de alocação, até 10 dias, e na sua camada de gestão, que conta com um time personalizado e especializado, responsável pela estratégia dos produtos de cada cliente no âmbito técnico e de negócio. Em seus 7 anos de trajetória, já desenvolveu mais de 140 produtos inovadores para mais de 100 médias e grandes empresas, como: H&P, Grafeno, loja integrada, Housi e Unimed.

SEASON: 4 EPISODE: 24Episode Overview:In today's fast-paced world, it is easy to feel overwhelmed, stuck, or lost on the path to personal growth and self-improvement. Breaking through your limitations to achieve your goals can seem impossible. My guest today says that by changing your mindset, growing emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and breaking bad habits is the way to a more fulfilling and purpose driven life. Join me now more my conversation with Joe Rivera.Guest Bio: When it comes to life's ups and downs, Joe has been there and done that. He went from earning 7 figures a year to losing it all while hitting rock-bottom after battling substance abuse. As a result of achieving sobriety and happiness, Joe has bounced back and is hitting the ground running. Based on what he learned from rock-bottom and on his upward path to success, he's created a road map that empowers top-earning professionals who are feeling exhausted and powerless.Joe's system uses simple steps to align an individual's mind, body, soul, and finances to achieve ultimate productivity and fulfillment. Joe was inspired to become a life coach and a motivational speaker simply because he knows what it's like to hit a wall of exhaustion and lack direction. He knows that there are millions of people out there that have their own personal struggles and are going through something similar to what he went through. Joe's goal is to empower individuals across the nation to use their own resilience to make their own comeback story.Resource Links:Website: https://www.withjoerivera.com/Product Link: https://www.withjoerivera.com/servicesInsight Gold Timestamps:02:53 My life goes dark and becomes completely unmanageable03:49 I said, I don't want to do this anymore, sis05:55 Being rich, but spiritually bankrupt, is not fun08:11 Spirituality is also about walking and living in your purpose10:15 Are there strategies for handling that procrastination 12:28 You put your goals together and you lost some weight13:32 Realizing that your past doesn't define you15:20 If you're learning from those failures….17:18 Lead by example and show them20:06 How do we manage that diverse workforce as leaders?21:06 How do I communicate with each of those different generations?22:35 The power of vulnerability23:26 Vulnerability doesn't show weakness25:00 Imagine you were told you only had one year left to live. What would you be doing? 26:36 Building a support network is absolutely vital28:12 Fail stands for: First Attempt In Learning28:19 Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buriedConnect Socially:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-rivera-0a27b311b/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/withJoeRiveraTwitter: https://x.com/w_Joe_RiveraYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@reforgeacademywithjoeriver6288Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/withjoerivera/Email: louiejoey30@gmail.comSponsors: Rainmaker LeadGen Platform Demo:

Phil Carter is a consumer subscription growth expert and advisor. He has built a popular Reforge course on consumer subscriptions and advises companies on their growth strategy. Prior to that he led growth and product functions at Faire, Quizlet and Ibotta. Phil is also a husband and the father of two kids.Phil's wife, Ashley, founded a non-profit called Daring Girls that comes up in today's episode and has helped over 20,000 Tanzanian women further their education. Donate today!In our conversation today we discussed:* Raising kids during the pandemic* Traveling internationally with young children* How to teach kids cultural empathy and understanding* Protecting coveted time with your spouse* Avoiding everything becoming a household logistics conversation* The weekly family meeting and how that works for Phil and his family—Where to find Phil CarterLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philgcarter/X: https://x.com/philgcarterWhere to find Adam Fishman* FishmanAF Newsletter: www.FishmanAFNewsletter.com* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjfishman/* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupdadpod/—In this episode, we cover:[1:29] Welcome[2:03] Professional background[4:14] Childhood[5:32] What family are you close to now?[7:27] How you met your wife[8:39] Daring Girls and his wife's work[11:28] Decision to start a family[13:27] Earliest memory of becoming a dad?[16:36] Raising kids during the pandemic[20:21] Taking kids to Tanzania[25:42] Talking to kids about diversity[29:02] Family meeting[32:37] Advice for younger Phil[35:56] Advice to ignore[37:43] Protecting time w/ spouse[40:59] Standing date-night time/sitter[42:03] Keeping date-nights from becoming logistical discussions[44:09] Where do you and partner not align?[47:16] Mistake you made as a dad?[49:05] Halloween[51:11] #1 book recommendation [52:29] Fav holiday recipes or traditions?[54:10] Follow along[54:49] Lightning round[1:03:56] Thank you—Show references:Daring Girls: https://daringgirls.org/Donate to Daring Girls: https://daringgirls.org/donate/Quizlet: https://quizlet.com/Ibotta: https://home.ibotta.com/Bain: https://www.bain.com/Stanford: https://www.stanford.edu/Turo: https://turo.com/Faire: https://www.faire.com/Reforge: https://www.reforge.com/Harry Potter: https://www.harrypotter.com/Tanzania: https://www.britannica.com/place/TanzaniaPokemon: Detective Pikachu: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5884052/DinoLingo: https://www.dinolingo.com/Duolingo: https://www.duolingo.com/The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini: https://www.amazon.com/Kite-Runner-Khaled-Hosseini/dp/159463193XChildren Of The Corn: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087050/Lion King Soundtrack: open.spotify.com/album/7e8y48Z2fkJNGBOKSECCeSThe Five Love Languages: https://5lovelanguages.com/Osprey backpacks: https://www.osprey.com/How to Train Your Dragon: https://www.dreamworks.com/how-to-train-your-dragonBluey: https://www.bluey.tv/The Wild Robot: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt29623480/Mighty Ducks: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104868The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt:https://www.amazon.com/Anxious-Generation-Rewiring-Childhood-Epidemic/dp/0593655036—For sponsorship inquiries email: podcast@fishmana.com.For Startup Dad Merch: www.startupdadshop.com Production support for Startup Dad is provided by Tommy Harron at http://www.armaziproductions.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit startupdadpod.substack.com

Benjamin Lauzier has been building and scaling marketplaces for almost 15 years. He was the VP of product and growth at Thumbtack, where he rebuilt the product team and Thumbtack's growth levers, re-architected their revenue model, and helped double the company's growth within three years. Prior to Thumbtack, Ben was at Lyft for six years, where he led the supply side of the product organization to a point where 1% of U.S. workers were driving for Lyft every month. Currently, he advises marketplace teams and founders, teaches a Reforge course on marketplace growth, and has recently launched a health tech company called Nurra, which connects users with care advocates to navigate the health-care system. In our conversation, we cover:• What defines a marketplace business• Strategies for growing supply and demand in the early stages• How to measure liquidity and other marketplace health metrics• How to evaluate if a marketplace model is right for your idea• Lessons from Lyft, Thumbtack, and other successful marketplaces• The differences between product management in the U.S. and Europe—Brought to you by:• Eppo—Run reliable, impactful experiments• Paragon—Ship every SaaS integration your customers want• Vanta—Automate compliance. Simplify security—Find the transcript and show notes at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-marketplaces-win-benjamin-lauzier—Where to find Benjamin Lauzier:• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminlauzier/• Ben's Reforge course: https://www.reforge.com/courses/marketplace-growth/details—Where to find Lenny:• Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com• X: https://twitter.com/lennysan• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/—In this episode, we cover:(00:00) Ben's background(02:24) Defining a marketplace(07:52) Challenges in building a marketplace(13:28) Methods for growing supply(15:57) Understanding marketplace liquidity(21:36) Identifying product-market fit in marketplaces(24:10) Evaluating marketplace business models(27:20) Common pitfalls and failures in marketplaces(36:23) Managed marketplaces and quality control(42:26) Lyft's rental car initiative(46:35) Mentorship and ambassador programs(51:21) Driver recruitment strategies(54:12) Lyft vs. Uber: a strategic analysis(59:24) Cultural differences in tech: Europe vs. U.S.(01:10:30) Building a health advocacy platform(01:16:52) Lightning round and final thoughts—Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com.—Lenny may be an investor in the companies discussed. Get full access to Lenny's Newsletter at www.lennysnewsletter.com/subscribe

Welcome to Growthmates with Kate Syuma — Growth advisor, previously Head of Growth Design at Miro. I'm building Growthmates as a place to connect with inspiring leaders to help you grow yourself and your product. Here you can learn how companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Canva, Loom, and many more are building excellent products and growth culture. Get all episodes and a free playbook for Growth teams on our brand-new website — growthamtes.club, and press follow to support us on your favorite platforms. Listen now and subscribe on your favorite platforms — Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube (new!).In this episode, I chat with Jason Giles — a VP of Product Design at UserTesting.com. We dove into his journey, from working as an electronic musician to becoming a leader in the tech industry. Jason shares his unique story about transitioning into the UX field during his time at Microsoft, his experiences with design leadership, and how human-centered design became his foundation. We also dive into the importance of research, debunking 3 myths about its cost and time, and Jason's insights into democratizing research within organizations.—Brought to you by Command.ai — a user-focused platform offering an alternative to traditional popups or chatbots. Their AI “Copilot” answers questions, performs actions, and simplifies complex tasks. Use “Nudges” to guide users with timely, relevant messages, all within a no-code platform. Perfect for Product, Support, and Marketing teams to positively influence user behavior while respecting their needs: https://command.ai/—Key highlights from this episode

Jenny Wanger is a product consultant and coach who loves to educate PMs around the world and is doing just that with her product operations course on Reforge. Her hot take? Product leaders send their teams off for training but then don't do anything when they come back, and nothing changes. This leads them to question the value of the training, but it's almost never the quality of the training that's at fault, it's what they (don't) do with it. Find Jenny on LinkedIn and remember to check out her course on Reforge. If you'd like to appear on Hot Takes, please grab a time! Related episodes you should like: The Role of Product Management on Truly Agile Development Teams (Allen Holub, Software Architect, Consultant & Outspoken Twitter Agilist) Survive the Feature Factory by Applying Product Thinking to Product Thinking (John Cutler, Product Evangelist & Coach @ Amplitude) Escaping the Build Trap with Product Operations and Strong CPOs (Melissa Perri, Product Management Leader, Educator & Author "Escaping the Build Trap") OKRs: The Gateway Drug to Agility & Good Product Management (Jeff Gothelf, Product Management Consultant & Co-author "Lean UX" ) The Five Dysfunctions of Product Management Teams (Saeed Khan, Founder @ Transformation Labs) Going Beyond the Dreaded Product Demo and Creating the Perfect Sales Pitch (April Dunford, Author "Obviously Awesome" and "Sales Pitch") Enabling Strategic Product Decisions through Product Operations and Portfolio Management (Becky Flint, CEO of Dragonboat) Transforming your Organisation to the Product Operating Model (Marty Cagan, Author "Inspired", "Empowered" and "Transformed")

Can old IP give shut-down businesses a new lease on life? Kipp and Kieran explore how reviving dormant brands might just be the next big trend in marketing. They are joined by Morning Brew's co-founder Alex Lieberman to delve into the concept of leveraging old intellectual property to reignite business success. This episode will have you learning more on the potential of marketplaces for brands like SAP Seltzer in Vermont, how to create personalized and tactical content for business leaders, and the intricacies of "drop marketing" to captivate modern audiences. Mentions SAP Seltzer: https://sapvt.com/ Beehiiv: https://www.beehiiv.com/ Story ARb: https://www.storyarb.com/Rb Epic Gardening: https://www.youtube.com/@EpicGardening Backyard Baseball: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backyard_Baseball(Wikipedia page) Resource [Free] Steal our favorite AI Prompts featured on the show! Grab them here: https://clickhubspot.com/aip We're on Social Media! Follow us for everyday marketing wisdom straight to your feed YouTube: ​​https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGtXqPiNV8YC0GMUzY-EUFg  Twitter: https://twitter.com/matgpod  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matgpod  Join our community https://landing.connect.com/matg Thank you for tuning into Marketing Against The Grain! Don't forget to hit subscribe and follow us on Apple Podcasts (so you never miss an episode)! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-against-the-grain/id1616700934   If you love this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review https://link.chtbl.com/h9_sjBKH and share your favorite episodes with friends. We really appreciate your support. Host Links: Kipp Bodnar, https://twitter.com/kippbodnar   Kieran Flanagan, https://twitter.com/searchbrat  ‘Marketing Against The Grain' is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by The HubSpot Podcast Network // Produced by Darren Clarke. Time Stamps: 00:00 Marketers are different, Reforge could do better. 04:35 Alex stands out for being clear, relatable. 09:23 Leveraging creativity, story telling, persuasion, self-improvement. 10:14 Seeking entrepreneurship while balancing family and success. 14:20 Modern-day entertainment business, distribution dynamics, influencer challenges. 17:39 Inefficiency in influencer marketing, especially on Instagram. 21:09 Creators are key to long-term business success. 23:37 Subscription economy enables automation, focus on growth. 28:50 Help Kip improve online presence, marketing strategy. 32:10 Fast thinker utilizing trends and executing strategy. 34:18 Tyler started for Beehive's lack of features. 36:49 Companies should have employees and customers advocate. 41:07 Creating social content may be challenging for executives. 44:11 Importance of finding the right voice online. 48:32 Focusing on value for target audience is key. 51:14 Create Shark Tank-style digital pitch for new generation. 53:43 Great conversation with Alex, relevant topics covered.

Welcome to Growthmates. This is Kate Syuma, Growth advisor, previously Head of Growth Design at Miro. I'm building Growthmates as a place to connect with inspiring leaders to help you grow yourself and your product. Here you can learn how companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Canva, Loom and many more are building excellent products and growth culture. Get all episodes and a free playbook for Growth teams on our brand-new website — growthamtes.club, and press follow to support us on your favorite platforms. Thanks for reading Kate's Syuma Newsletter & Growthmates! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.Listen now and subscribe on your favorite platforms — Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube (new!).In this episode, I met Bruno Berger — a VP of Design and Product Management who worked in companies like Google, Metabase, and now he's teaching “Design for PMs” on Reforge. We discuss Bruno's career journey, the integration of design and product management, and best practices for improving collaboration between designers and PMs. We also explored Bruno's strategies for combining design and product management to enhance team collaboration and project success.By the end of this episode, you can learn how to make your PM and Design collaboration better by adjusting the ways of working, building trust, and how to align faster to make it the most rewarding thinking partnership.This episode is supported by Appcues — the platform that helps you design, deploy, and test captivating onboarding experiences.Appcues created the Product Adoption Academy to help you level up your product adoption for free. Check out the template that I created to help companies uncover meaningful improvements. Find an example of Dropbox Onboarding inside and apply it to review any growth flows: appcues.com/growthmatesKey highlights from this episode that you can implement right away

Welcome to Growthmates. This is Kate Syuma, Growth advisor, previously Head of Growth Design at Miro. I'm building Growthmates as a place to connect with inspiring leaders to help you grow yourself and your product. Here you can learn how companies like Dropbox, Adobe, Canva, Loom and many more are building excellent products and growth culture. Get all episodes and a free playbook for Growth teams on our brand-new website — growthamtes.club, and press follow to support us on your favorite platforms. Thanks for reading Kate's Syuma Newsletter & Growthmates! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.Listen now and subscribe on your favorite platforms — Apple, Spotify, or watch on YouTube (new!).In this episode, I met with Behzod Sirjani — a leader in Research space who worked in companies like Slack and Facebook, and currently supporting the broader community as an Advisor and Reforge partnerResearch is one of my favourite topics, and we discussed how different companies should approach: from Startup to Scale up. By the end of this episode, you can learn how to get customer insights even in a small team, when it's the right moment to bring a dedicated researcher, common mistakes, and how to scale the research forward.This episode is supported by Appcues — the platform that helps you design, deploy, and test captivating onboarding experiences.Appcues created the Product Adoption Academy to help you level up your product adoption for free. Check out the template that I created to help companies uncover meaningful improvements. Find an example of Dropbox Onboarding inside and apply it to review any growth flows: appcues.com/growthmatesKey highlights from this episode that you can implement right away

AI Innovations & Growth Strategies with Andrew Chen | Unsolicited Feedback Live This is a special live episode of Unsolicited Feedback, as part of Reforge's ref:AI conference. Join Fareed Mosavat as he welcomes Andrew Chen from Andreessen Horowitz for an engaging discussion on AI's impact on product growth and innovation. This episode covers the significance of the S curve in technology adoption, the challenges and opportunities arising from rapid AI advancements, and what it means for startups and established companies alike. Andrew shares insights on how to differentiate in a competitive landscape, the evolving role of AI in various industries, and strategic approaches for maintaining relevance. Whether you're a product manager, designer, or tech enthusiast, this episode offers a wealth of knowledge to help you navigate the AI revolution. Check out a full summary of the takeaways and lessons from this conversation at https://www.reforge.com/blog/strategies-to-beat-the-ai-s-curve Check out more from Unsolicited Feedback! https://www.unsolicitedfeedback.co/  00:00 Welcome  04:13 Understanding the S Curve 08:35 The Novelty Phase of AI Products 12:26 Challenges and Strategies in AI Product Development 23:19 The Future of AI and Product Innovation 27:44 Platform Shifts and AI Paradigms Check out a full summary of the takeaways and lessons from this episode at ➡️ https://www.unsolicitedfeedback.co/

Ami Vora is the Chief Product Officer of Faire, which connects independent retailers and brands around the world. Before Faire, Ami spent over 15 years at Meta, including as VP of Product and Design for WhatsApp (2B+ users), VP of Product for Facebook's ads system (now $130B of annual revenue), and director at Instagram. She began her career working on developer tools at Microsoft. In our conversation, we discuss:• Why execution eats strategy for breakfast• Using metaphor to rally teams around one shared goal• How to build cross-functional relationships• “Dinosaur brain,” “Toddler soccer,” and the “hill climbing” metaphors• A tactic for handling disagreement• Tips for working well with product-minded founders as a product leader• The story of Ami's incredible 15-year journey from temp to VP at Meta• Much more—Brought to you by:• Sidebar—Accelerate your career by surrounding yourself with extraordinary peers.• Anvil—The fastest way to build software for documents.• User Testing—Human understanding. Human experiences.—Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/authenticity-and-curiosity-ami-vora—Where to find Ami Vora:• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amvora/• Substack: https://amivora.substack.com/—Where to find Lenny:• Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com• X: https://twitter.com/lennysan• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/—In this episode, we cover:(00:00) Ami's background(02:00) The myth of perfection in success(07:55) Emotionally connecting with the job(09:55) Embracing curiosity in moments of challenge(13:16) Thinking in feedback loops(17:17) The “dinosaur brain” metaphor in product reviews(20:20) Strategies for conducting effective product reviews(26:33) Using metaphors and imagery to communicate your vision(29:35) The power of having a shared narrative(31:55) WhatsApp: an example of metaphor in action(34:44) Emulating people that inspire you(36:19) WhatsApp video calling(37:35) Why execution is greater than strategy(41:36) Time allotment for strategy vs. execution(45:10) How to become a better strategic thinker(47:59) The intricacies of implementing feedback(51:53) Being a female leader in tech(55:13) Advice for young women in tech(56:07) Setting goals and aligning incentives(01:01:40) Acknowledging hard truths(01:05:46) Lessons from transitioning to Faire(01:08:40) The importance of a good CPO/CEO relationship(01:11:17) Vetting heads of product and maintaining customer focus(01:12:40) How Ami went from intern to leading major products at Meta(01:14:53) The one thing you should do to be successful in product(01:17:25) Lightning round—Referenced:• Faire: https://www.faire.com/• Making Meta | Andrew “Boz” Bosworth (CTO): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/making-meta-andrew-boz-bosworth-cto•  Community Wisdom: AMA with Dan Hockenmaier + Facilitating a roadmap session, structuring product teams, navigating an acquisition, companies not needing PMs anymore, and much more: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/making-meta-andrew-boz-bosworth-cto• Developing a growth model + marketplace growth strategy | Dan Hockenmaier (Faire, Thumbtack, Reforge): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/developing-a-growth-model-marketplace• Dan Hockenmaier's website: https://www.danhock.com/• On Reviews: https://boz.com/articles/reviews• Finding a global optimum always feels like a hill climb: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/amvora_finding-a-global-optimum-always-feels-like-activity-7074776143882588161-jhyy/• Dolores Park: https://sfrecpark.org/892/Mission-Dolores-Park• Rob Goldman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robgoldman/• Execution eats strategy for breakfast, but execution without strategy leads to burnout: https://rationalpm.substack.com/p/execution-eats-strategy-for-breakfast• The goal of a “strategy” is to change our own team's behavior: https://amivora.substack.com/p/the-goal-of-a-strategy-is-to-change• The paths to power: How to grow your influence and advance your career | Jeffrey Pfeffer (author of 7 Rules of Power, professor at Stanford GSB): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-paths-to-power-jeffrey-pfeffer• Path to Power course outline: https://jeffreypfeffer.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Pfeffer-OB377-Course-Outline-2018.pdf• Management Time: Who's Got the Monkey?: https://hbr.org/1999/11/management-time-whos-got-the-monkey• Max Rhodes on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-rhodes/• Coupa Coffee: https://www.coupacafe.com/• Brandee Barker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandeedbarker/• Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person: https://www.amazon.com/Year-Yes-Dance-Stand-Person/dp/1476777128 • How to tell better stories | Matthew Dicks (Storyworthy): https://www.lennyspodcast.com/how-to-tell-better-stories-matthew-dicks-storyworthy/• A life of yes: Matthew Dicks at TEDxSomerville: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3TaQFcaMk4• The Office on Peacock: https://www.peacocktv.com/stream-tv/the-office• 30 Rock on Peacock: https://www.peacocktv.com/watch-online/tv/30-rock/6240863759978157112• Dall-E-2: https://openai.com/index/dall-e-2/• ChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com• Fellow kettles: https://fellowproducts.com/products/stagg-ekg-electric-pour-over-kettle• TikTok's “Roman Empire” Meme, Explained: https://www.forbes.com/sites/danidiplacido/2023/09/21/tiktoks-roman-empire-meme-explained/—Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com.—Lenny may be an investor in the companies discussed. Get full access to Lenny's Newsletter at www.lennysnewsletter.com/subscribe

We are back to REFORGE our opinions on Alloyed (Part II) - the season one finale of The Rings of Power.This time we cover all things Eregion, which means we dig into the end of Hal&Gal, the rise of the Dark Lord, and enjoy our little sliver of Detective Elrond. We spend a lot of time just reading the script for this one because it's So. Good. And then we dive back into the final Hall of Lore to highlight some particular favourites!Twitter - @RingsReforgedInstagram - @ringsreforgedTumblr - @ringsreforged  Natalie - @Natalie_Crown Paulina - @SapphiresOfWest Or you can email us at ringsreforged@gmail.comMusic by Pulsar_Sound. Cover art by nicatshah. 

The Future of AI in Marketing, Growth & Content: Season 2 Finale (Part 2) w/ Brian Balfour, Ravi Mehta, Joff Redfern, and Fareed Mosavat In part two of the Unsolicited Feedback Season 2 Finale, Brian Balfour, Joff Redfern, Ravi Mehta, and Fareed Mosavat return to discuss the challenges associated with marketing in the face of declining search trends. They also explore the growing significance of content licensing deals and contemplate the future as AI models become commoditized and our interactions with them (and expectations of them) evolve. Show Notes:  Fareed mentioned that Reforge has just launched a brand new AI product, the Reforge Extension, now in public beta. Ever wish you could get expert feedback from leaders like Fareed, Brian Balfour, Andrew Chen, and Elena Verna while working on your documents? Now you can! He also mentioned our free AI festival, ref:AI, a full-day virtual conference delving into all things AI, featuring a special episode of Unsolicited Feedback with the legendary Andrew Chen. Secure your spot now as spaces are limited. Register here today. And, last but not least, Rupa Chaturvedi & Polly Allen (renowned industry experts with expertise in Generative AI from Amazon's Alexa, Google and Uber) are teaching Generative AI Products: How to get from Idea to MVP for the 3rd time starting on June 14. It's a 3-week course designed to get you started on your journey of leading AI initiatives and projects that involve Generative AI. Check out a full summary of the takeaways and lessons from this episode at ➡️ https://www.unsolicitedfeedback.co/ 00:00 Season Finale Introduction (Part 2) 02:20 Decline of the S-Curve 07:10 SEO Unknowns 11:15 Modality Changes 13:05 Trouble Monetizing Traffic 14:15 Confusion Around Copyright Law 16:05 Licensing Content & Revenue Issues 17:30 LLMs In The Gray Area 19:08 Content As Supply for Generative Models 22:17 Hot Takes 22:40 AI Value Is Not In Foundational Models 24:42 AI Chatbots Are A Phase 27:56 What We Thought AI Would Be Check out a full summary of the takeaways and lessons from this episode at ➡️ https://www.unsolicitedfeedback.co/

We are back to REFORGE our opinions on Alloyed (Part I) - the season one finale of The Rings of Power.After over a year away, we made the decision to split the finale in two so it wouldn't be too long...turns out we still had a LOT to say about the Stranger being Sauron, about the Harfoots being awesome, and about shipping a ship on a ship. Oh, and Earien is there as well. All things Eregion + the Hall of Lore coming in Part II!Twitter - @RingsReforgedInstagram - @ringsreforgedTumblr - @ringsreforged  Natalie - @Natalie_Crown Paulina - @SapphiresOfWest Or you can email us at ringsreforged@gmail.comMusic by Pulsar_Sound. Cover art by nicatshah. 

Key Takeaways from H1 2024: Reflecting on Hardware, Unstructured Data, and the Future of Product Management In the season 2 finale of 'Unsolicited Feedback,' co-hosts Brian Balfour, Ravi Mehta, and Joff Redfern join Fareed Mosavat to reflect on the most compelling topics of the season. They start with discussions on how trends diverge between hardware and software markets, and the distinctions between luxury and premium products. The episode takes a deep dive into AI's role in revolutionizing unstructured data and its far-reaching effects on product management. Touching on methodology changes, the hosts contemplate how AI might transform the software development life cycle and what it means for the future roles of product managers, designers, and engineers, giving some Unsolicited Feedback to our friend Lenny Rachitsky along the way. Show Notes: Fareed mentioned that Reforge has just launched a brand new AI product, the Reforge Extension, now in public beta. Ever wish you could get expert feedback from leaders like Fareed, Brian Balfour, Andrew Chen, and Elena Verna while working on your documents? Now you can! He also mentioned our free AI festival, ref:AI, a full-day virtual conference delving into all things AI, featuring a special episode of Unsolicited Feedback with the legendary Andrew Chen. Secure your spot now as spaces are limited. Register here today. And, last but not least, Rupa Chaturvedi & Polly Allen (renowned industry experts with expertise in Generative AI from Amazon's Alexa, Google and Uber) are teaching Generative AI Products: How to get from Idea to MVP for the 3rd time starting on June 14. It's a 3-week course designed to get you started on your journey of leading AI initiatives and projects that involve Generative AI. Check out a full summary of the takeaways and lessons from this episode at ➡️ https://www.unsolicitedfeedback.co/ 00:00 Season Finale Introduction 03:50 Luxury in Software and Physical Goods 18:16 AI's Impact on Product Management 30:29 AI vs Human Intuition in Strategy 38:11 The Role of AI in Communication and Empathy 41:19 Revolutionizing the Software Development Life Cycle 52:25 The Rise of Full-Stack Product Leaders Check out a full summary of the takeaways and lessons from this episode at ➡️ https://www.unsolicitedfeedback.co/

Microsoft's Game-Changing Releases: Is Windows Poised to Dominate the AI Era? w/ Kurt Schrader In this episode of 'Unsolicited Feedback,' host Fareed Mosavat and guest Kurt Schrader, CEO and founder of Shortcut, dive into Microsoft's latest AI announcements, including the Copilot+ PC initiative and Windows Recall. We explore the potential impact of these innovations on the consumer market and reflect on how Apple should respond at the upcoming WWDC. We also debate the strategic strengths and weaknesses of both tech giants in the evolving AI landscape.  Before we dive in, Fareed mentioned in the podcast that Reforge has just launched a brand new AI product, the Reforge Extension, now in public beta. Ever wish you could get expert feedback from leaders like Fareed, Brian Balfour, Andrew Chen, and Elena Verna while working on your documents? Now you can! Install it for free today and elevate your work with Reforge experts by your side. Join us for refAI, a full-day virtual conference delving into all things AI, featuring a special episode of Unsolicited Feedback with the legendary Andrew Chen. Secure your spot now as spaces are limited. Register here today. Check out a full summary of the takeaways and lessons from this episode at ➡️ https://www.unsolicitedfeedback.co/ 00:00 Introduction 01:11 Microsoft's Big AI Announcements 04:46 Microsoft's AI-Powered Future 07:00 Copilot Plus PCs: A Full Stack Experience 17:59 Windows Recall: A Game Changer? 21:06 The Future of AI and Privacy 25:41 Speculations on Apple's Upcoming Surprises 27:34 Microsoft's Strategic Moves and Apple's Response 29:41 Apple's Potential AI and Voice Integration 31:30 The Developer Ecosystem: Microsoft vs. Apple 35:45 Hopes and Predictions for WWDC 

SummaryIn this episode of our podcast, "How to Raise from a16z and Sequoia Capital? with Wes Kao (Founder of Maven & altMBA)," we dive deep into the world of startups, education, and personal branding with our guest Wes Kao, a renowned founder and entrepreneur. We also explore the topics of leadership, entrepreneurship, and fundraising. Wes emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and leveraging one's strengths when starting a company. She also highlights the value of credibility indicators in fundraising and the need to find the right fit with investors. The conversation provides insights into the process of pitching to venture capital firms like Andreessen Horowitz. In this conversation, Wes Kao shares insights on fundraising, building a personal brand, and the challenges of scaling as a founder. Finally, Wes talks about her approach to writing newsletters and the importance of thinking deeply about the topics you write about.Takeaways1.Self-awareness and leveraging one's strengths are crucial when starting a company.2.Credibility indicators, such as fundraising from well-known venture capital firms, can provide a boost in the ecosystem.3.Leadership is learnable, and there are different ways to be a leader.Entrepreneurship can be learned, but it's important to have a point of view and an unfair advantage.4.The fundraising process should focus on finding the best fit with investors who can support the company's growth. Credibility and experience are crucial in fundraising, and first-time founders should not compare themselves to veteran founders.5.Creating a sense of inevitability in your storytelling can instill confidence in investors and de-risk your venture.6.Marketplaces like Maven differ from publishers like Reforge in the cohort-based learning space.7.Consistently sharing your ideas and insights online can unlock various opportunities and help build a personal brand.8.Writing newsletters requires deep thinking and a focus on providing valuable insights and frameworks.Chapters00:00 Trailer02:00 Who is Wes Kao05:50 Lessons from Seth Godin08:55 Shipping Fast Is Important16:20 Why Wes Kao Pickup Education Sector20:42 Can leaders and enterpreuners are by birth24:40 Unfair Advantage27:00 Fundraising and the Importance of Credibility41:51 Building a Personal Brand (Complete Guide)48:00 The Art of Writing Newsletters54:15 Ritual56:35 ConclusionConnect with Mudassir

Sonos' Redesign Debacle: How to Avoid Common Pitfalls in Product Upgrades w/ Kurt Schrader Join host Fareed Mosavat on 'Unsolicited Feedback' as he delves into the latest Sonos app controversy with guest Kurt Schrader, CEO and founder of Shortcut, a platform that helps product and engineering teams unify to build collaboratively. This episode covers the major issues faced by Sonos power users, strategies for effective feature deprecation, the risks of big product redesigns, and how to manage user feedback and trust. Additionally, the episode touches on strategic pre-mortems, real-world scenarios from Slack and Shortcut, and insights into balancing innovation with user experience. Before we dive in, Fareed mentioned in the podcast that Reforge has just launched a brand new AI product, the Reforge Extension, now in public beta. Ever wish you could get expert feedback from leaders like Fareed, Brian Balfour, Andrew Chen, and Elena Verna while working on your documents? Now you can! Install it for free today and elevate your work with Reforge experts by your side. Check out a full summary of the takeaways and lessons from this episode at ➡️ https://www.unsolicitedfeedback.co/ 00:00 Introduction 01:44 Diving Into the Sonos App Update Controversy 05:16 The Challenges of Redesigning with Power Users in Mind 15:49 Learning from Slack's IRC Gateway Deprecation 18:26 Strategies for Managing Feature Deprecation and User Transition 24:31 Navigating the Challenges of Product Redesigns 26:18 Evaluating Redesign Feedback: Timing and Approach 28:50 The Pre-Mortem Strategy: Anticipating User Feedback 34:00 The Lock-In Factor: Navigating Customer Loyalty and Alternatives 37:33 Innovating in a Market Dominated by Incumbents

Jiaona “JZ” Zhang is the Chief Product Officer at Linktree, the world's leading link-in-bio platform empowering 45M+ creators, brands and SMBs. JZ joined Linktree from Webflow, where she served as SVP of Product. Before that, she spent four years at Airbnb where she built and led numerous teams on the host side. JZ's also held leadership roles at the likes of Wework, Dropbox and teaches at Stanford University and Reforge. In Today's Episode with Jiaona Zhang We Discuss: Entry into the World of Product How did JZ first fall in love with product? Why does JZ believe the best PMs have experience in the gaming industry? Does JZ think Linktree could be a $100BN business? How could Linktree become a $100BN business? Mastering Product Metrics Why does JZ think product is the most chameleon role? Where does product start & end?  Why does JZ think every function should have tension with product? What is a KPI tree? How does JZ branch business & product metrics? When does JZ think startups should set up a metric infrastructure? What are the three levers of product? How does JZ determine which ones to trade off? How to Run Product: Planning, Strategy, & Rituals Why does JZ think planning should not exist? What are strategy and rituals? When should founders do either? What are JZ's three core rituals? What is the scorecard method? How do they help team transparency? What are product jams? When does it work? When does it not work? Product Career Advice When does JZ think founders hire a product person?  What are the most common mistakes early stage founders make when hiring for product? Does JZ think domain expertise is important? What does she look for in product hires? What is JZ's advice to PMs who want to get promoted today?  What is JZ's advice to young people who want to get into product?  

This week on "Unsolicited Feedback," Fareed Mosavat welcomed Sachin Rekhi to explore the shifting landscape of media, focusing on the evolution from traditional, slower media forms to what's increasingly being termed "dopamine culture." We analyze how this change is not only profoundly affecting how we consume content but also how we should build and launch products. Sachin has created multiple Reforge courses, is the founder & CEO of NoteJoy, and the creator of LinkedIn Sales Navigator, a now $1B ARR business. And, he has a new video-native podcast you can watch on YouTube! Check out a full summary at UnsolicitedFeedback.co! We're back Thursday to discuss finding Product-Market Fit without MVPs!

Guiding you through the world of growth, performance marketing, and partner marketing.We sit down with growth and marketing leaders to share tests and lessons learned in business and life.Host: Tye DeGrangeGuest: Adam FishmanHype man & Announcer: John Potito

The Impact of “Customer Research” on Achieving Customer Success  Shep Hyken interviews Sara Caldwell, VP of Customer Experience at Dovetail. She talks about the importance of everyone in the company being involved in customer research to understand and meet customer needs.  This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:    Why is it essential for companies to understand the specific needs of their customers?   How can unstructured data from customer conversations be transformed into actionable insights?   How can companies use conversational research to gain insights and improve the customer experience?  How can companies effectively leverage customer feedback from call center recordings for improvements?  How do companies use customer feedback to enhance products and services and better serve customers?  Top Takeaways:    Customer success in any business is about making your customers successful so that they can, in turn, be more successful with their clients. It means understanding your customers' core needs and matching them to a solution. The goal is to focus on how often the product or service is used and how it helps the customer succeed in their role and achieve their objectives.    Researching customer insights is not limited to a specific role or department. It's something that everyone in a company can do to help improve products and services. This allows various teams in a company to learn more about their users and build their products or services accordingly.    Organizations are increasingly recognizing the importance of understanding customer feedback to inform decision-making. By analyzing and understanding customer conversations, companies can gain valuable insights that inform product development, customer support enhancements, and overall business decision-making.    Self-service customer support is becoming increasingly important. Many customers prefer to resolve their issues without interacting with a support team. Companies must create a seamless customer experience where customers can find answers to their questions without interacting with a support representative.    Transforming complex, unstructured data into actionable insights is key to helping teams build products their customers love. This involves taking conversations with customers and consolidating them into understandable insights. By making customer insights accessible and actionable, organizations can continually leverage this information to enhance their products, services, and support systems.     Plus, Sara shares what every customer success manager needs to know. Tune in!   Quote:   "If you're confident in your resources and abilities to truly excel in providing a remarkable customer experience, and it fulfills a customer need while setting you apart in the market, then it's worth prioritizing."    About:    Sara Caldwell is the VP of Customer Experience at Dovetail. A science school teacher by background, she transitioned into customer service and experience, gaining valuable insights and skills at companies like Asana, Reforge, and Neverware.  Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Leveraging AI to Transform Qualitative Data into Scientific Insights

Helldivers 2 - The Galaxy's Last Line of Offence. Enlist in the Helldivers and join the fight for freedom across a hostile galaxy in a fast, frantic, and ferocious third-person shooter. - Arrowhead Game Studios (Steam, PS5, Available now) Video game consoles are doomed… right? - Article by GamesIndustry.biz New Platforms, New Players: Four Fan-Favorite Xbox Games Coming to Nintendo Switch and Sony Platforms - Article by Xbox Wire Last Epoch - Uncover the Past, Reforge the Future. Ascend into one of 15 mastery classes and explore dangerous dungeons, hunt epic loot, craft legendary weapons, and wield the power of over a hundred transformative skill trees. Last Epoch is being developed by a team of passionate Action RPG enthusiasts. - Eleventh Hour Games (Steam, Available now) Kingmakers - Go back in time to a war-torn medieval era with a vast arsenal of modern weapons, change the course of history, and save the future in this epic action/strategy sandbox. Build your kingdom, grab a gun, and lead an army of thousands into massive, real-time simulated battles — solo or in co-op. - Redemption Road Games (Steam, TBA 2024) Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth - FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH is the highly anticipated new story in the FINAL FANTASY VII remake project, a reimagining of the iconic original game into three standalone titles by its original creators. In this game, players will enjoy various new elements as the story unfolds, culminating in the party's journey to “The Forgotten Capital” from the original FINAL FANTASY VII. - Square Enix (PS5, February 29th 2024)

Sarah Caldwell is the Global Head of Customer Success and Experience at Dovetail, where she brings a wealth of experience in customer service, gleaned from her tenure at Asana, Reforge, and Neverwhere.  With a passion for nurturing young talent, Sarah volunteers at universities and Breakthrough Consortium, empowering underrepresented students on their journey to college.  An advocate for female representation, Sarah is often found speaking at events about women in tech and customer service, highlighting how women can amplify the customer voice and ensure a delightful user experience tailored to diverse business needs.  With her diverse background and multifaceted approach, Sarah champions the importance of customer-centricity, aiming to bridge the gap between customer insights and product development.  Through her work, she strives to enhance the quality of every interaction and decision, fostering business growth and customer satisfaction. Key Takeaways 1. Customer-Centricity is Key: Sarah emphasizes the importance of understanding the customer's perspective at every touchpoint in the business, from initial interaction to retention, to drive business success. 2. Democratization of Research: There's a shift towards involving everyone in the organization in customer research, blurring the lines between formal research teams and informal customer conversations, leading to a more collaborative approach to understanding customer needs. 3. Early Integration of Research in Decision-Making: Incorporating customer research early in the product development process helps avoid costly mistakes down the line.  4. Centralized Data for Informed Decision-Making: Utilizing tools like Dovetail enables companies to consolidate customer data into a centralized repository, facilitating data-driven decision-making and streamlining research processes for more efficient outcomes. 5. Continuous Learning and Adaptation: Building a culture of continuous learning and adaptation based on customer feedback is crucial for staying agile and responsive to evolving customer needs.  Timestamps [00:06:12] Sarah shares insights on the shifting landscape of customer research, emphasizing the democratization of research processes and the importance of involving all stakeholders in understanding customer needs. [00:12:45] The early integration of customer research in product development, highlighting its role in mitigating risks down the line.  [00:18:20] Sarah discusses the significance of centralized data platforms like Dovetail in streamlining research processes and enabling data-driven decision-making across organizations. [00:25:03] The conversation concludes with Sarah underscoring the importance of fostering a culture of continuous learning and adaptation based on customer feedback to drive business growth and enhance customer satisfaction. Quotes 1. "Customer research is about fostering empathy and understanding to drive meaningful business outcomes." 2. "Early incorporation of customer feedback guides you towards creating resonant solutions." 3. "Embrace diverse perspectives within your organization for innovative customer insights." 4. "Continuous learning from customer feedback is crucial for sustainable business growth." Connect with Sarah LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/saramcaldwell/  Website - https://dovetail.com/  X - https://twitter.com/hidovetail/ 

In one of our most anticipated conversations of the year, we got the chance to sit down with three of Spotify's eng leaders: Krisitan Lindwall, Director of Engineering, Data, Insights, Experimentation, & ML Infrastructure; Mark Grey, Senior Staff Engineer; and Pooja Dave, Director of Engineering, Music Promotion. They share insights from their experience building a culture of experimentation & innovation at a massive scale and what elements are necessary for experimentation at scale. They share the origin story of Spotify's experimentation platform, how to develop eng leaders to think strategically & execute effectively, mistakes to avoid while scaling your experimentation capabilities, and navigating the balance between structured processes vs. unstructured time to ideate.ABOUT KRISTIAN LINDWALLKristian (@klindwall) is an engineering leader at Spotify. He has over 10 years of experience managing and coaching a broad variety of engineering and product teams. He is currently based in New York where he manages the engineering teams working on the company's data, insights, and machine learning platforms. Prior to that, he led parts of the agile coach practice at Spotify for a few years and has been very active in supporting the growth of a strong agile and lean approach in the company. Before Spotify, Kristian spent 8 years in fintech in Stockholm where he built and grew the engineering team at the largest online broker company in Sweden."How we behave in the organization is really what reinforces and drives the culture and I think there's a few things driving that culture of innovation. Connecting hands to heads, meaning give people an opportunity to engage in ideation and make sure people are involved in strategy work and in the full process of figuring out where we're heading.”- Kristian Lindwall   ABOUT POOJA DAVEWith over a decade of experience building and leading several R&D organizations in ad tech, marketing tech, and platforms servicing those, Pooja currently runs the organization at Spotify that helps artists engage and grow their fanbase. Prior to Spotify, she worked at Microsoft on several products including Devices, Browser Rendering Engine, and Advertising/MarTech SDKs. This diversity in experiences has given her a well-rounded exposure to engineer solutions and lead teams with strong backend architecture, client, machine learning, and data practices.“For Spotify, failure is the paradox to success.”- Pooja Dave   ABOUT MARK GREYMark is a Senior Staff Engineer at Spotify, where for a decade he has worked on a broad range of distributed systems related to experimentation, data processing, and analytics. Having operated and scaled solutions at all stages of growth, his primary focus is on technical strategy and platformization.Prior to Spotify, Mark worked at the New York Times on personalization infrastructure such as near-realtime article recommendations."We want to ideally maximize the throughput on those things that we see pan out or don't pan out. So kind of a fail faster, double down model and there's all kinds of practices and tools that we put in place that Confidence is just one among many that allow us to increase that throughput. So try and derive insights from a small experiment, validate your hypothesis quickly, and then proceed and scale up from there.”- Mark Grey   This episode is brought to you by incident.ioincident.io is trusted by hundreds of tech-led companies across the globe, including Etsy, monday.com, Skyscanner and more to seamlessly orchestrate incident response from start to finish. Intuitively designed, and with powerful and flexible built-in workflow automation, companies use incident.io to supercharge incident response and up-level the entire organization.Learn more about how you can better identify, learn from, and respond to incidents at incident.ioInterested in joining an ELC Peer Group?ELCs Peer Groups provide a virtual, curated, and ongoing peer learning opportunity to help you navigate the unknown, uncover solutions and accelerate your learning with a small group of trusted peers.Apply to join a peer group HERE: sfelc.com/peerGroupsSHOW NOTES:About Spotify's experimentation platform, Confidence (3:46)Why Spotify decided to offer Confidence externally (5:43)What experimentation without a platform looked like in the early days @ Spotify (6:24)Understanding the scale of the Confidence platform (8:58)Challenges eng leaders face when scaling testing / experimentation processes (10:51)Strategies for determining which experiments & features are most impactful (13:23)How to build a stronger culture of innovation / experimentation at scale (15:47)Frameworks to help develop eng leaders to be both thinkers & doers (19:11)Facilitating conversations around data ideation (23:13)An example of how Spotify ideates around data (26:10)Mistakes to avoid when scaling up & defining the experiment (28:36)How to prioritize experiments when there are conflicts (32:22)Recommendations for capturing ideas & turning them into features (35:32)Create breathing space within eng teams to help bolster innovation (40:10)Why it's also key to implement structured processes for experimentation (42:57)What good coaching looks like when orgs are scaling their experiments (45:24)Knowing when you need to platformize something (48:55)How generalizing platform capabilities can enable greater speed (51:27)Learn to think outside the box & don't get in the way of experimentation (55:11)Rapid fire questions (57:10)LINKS AND RESOURCESBecoming - In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her—from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world's most famous address.Unsolicited Feedback - A new podcast by Reforge that invites you into closed-door conversations between growth and product leaders. Brian Balfour (Reforge, HubSpot), Fareed Mosavat (Reforge, Slack), and friends give targeted feedback around recent features and releases across the product and growth multiverse.Lenny's Podcast - Lenny Rachitsky (author of #1 business newsletter on Substack with 500k+ subscribers) interviews world-class product leaders and growth experts to uncover concrete, actionable, and tactical advice to help you build, launch, and grow your own product.This episode wouldn't have been possible without the help of our incredible production team:Patrick Gallagher - Producer & Co-HostJerry Li - Co-HostNoah Olberding - Associate Producer, Audio & Video Editor https://www.linkedin.com/in/noah-olberding/Dan Overheim - Audio Engineer, Dan's also an avid 3D printer - https://www.bnd3d.com/Ellie Coggins Angus - Copywriter, Check out her other work at https://elliecoggins.com/about/

The closer you are to the customer, the better you can tell that story. Kipp and Kieran dive into the nuances of marketing leadership with special guest Brian Balfour. Learn more on the imperative of effective customer-centric communication, underlining the value of aligning marketing strategies with customer problems, and emphasizing the critical link between customer engagement and compelling storytelling. About Brian Balfour Founder/CEO of Reforge, previously VP Growth @ HubSpot. I've started multiple VC backed companies, and grown user bases to millions of daily active users. I write detailed essays on growth and user acquisition that have been featured in Forbes, Hacker Monthly, and OnStartups to help you build a growth machine. Connect with Brian! Podcast https://brianbalfour.com/podcast  Blog https://brianbalfour.com/  LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/bbalfour/  Twitter https://twitter.com/bbalfour  Reforge https://www.reforge.com/  Mentions "Unsolicited Feedback" podcast by Brian Balfour https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unsolicited-feedback/id1706701340  HubSpot https://www.hubspot.com/  Discord https://discord.com/  We're on Social Media! Follow us for everyday marketing wisdom straight to your feed YouTube: ​​https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGtXqPiNV8YC0GMUzY-EUFg  Twitter: https://twitter.com/matgpod  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matgpod  Thank you for tuning into Marketing Against The Grain! Don't forget to hit subscribe and follow us on Apple Podcasts (so you never miss an episode)! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-against-the-grain/id1616700934   If you love this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review https://link.chtbl.com/h9_sjBKH and share your favorite episodes with friends. We really appreciate your support. Host Links: Kipp Bodnar, https://twitter.com/kippbodnar   Kieran Flanagan, https://twitter.com/searchbrat  ‘Marketing Against The Grain' is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by The HubSpot Podcast Network // Produced by Darren Clarke.

Ely Lerner is an EIR at Reforge and an advisor for startups transitioning from traction to hypergrowth. Previously he was Head of Consumer Product at Chime, and before that spent an incredible 8 years at Yelp in a number of different roles including Head of Product at Eat24, and Product Leader/GM at Yelp. In Today's Episode with Ely Lerner We Discuss: 1. Entry into Growth: How did Ely make his way from engineering manager to growth leader? What are a couple of his single biggest takeaways from his time with Yelp and Chime? Why do employees in large companies have to have P&L ownership when innovating within the larger company they are in? 2. Advisors: What, When and How: What are the three different types of advisors founders can work with today? When is the right time to engage with each of them? Should the advisor have had direct experience with the problem you need help with? How should these advisors be compensated; what is normal? What are 1-2 of the biggest reasons startup advisory roles do not work out? 3. Offense vs Defence: The Tricky Balance: What is the difference between offense and defense in product strategy? What should the resource allocation be between the two? What is the right amount of offensive strategies to have on at the same time? How can leaders prevent their defensive teams from feeling like second-class citizens? 4. Ely Lerner: AMA: Why does Ely disagree with many and suggest that horizontal products do have a core ICP? Should growth teams sit on their own or within functions in the org? What are the core reasons teams fail to ship fast? What state should your data be in when you bring in your first growth hire?

Join Dan for a wide-ranging conversation with Brian, the Founder and CEO of Reforge, as they dive into critical points in his remarkable journey and gained insights from his experience as the former VP of Growth at Hubspot. Brian has started multiple VC-backed companies and shares his wisdom through detailed essays on growth and user acquisition and in a new podcast, Unsolicited Feedback. In this episode, they discuss the factors contributing to growth, what it feels like to have product-market fit, and the keys to building a durable business. They also address the unique challenges bootstrapers face when scaling their revenue to the next phase. Brian's valuable insights are essential for any business founder seeking business growth. Dan & Ian's Stuff: The Newsletter (https://tropicalmba.com/subscribe) “The DC” (https://dynamitecircle.com/join-dc/) DC Black (https://dynamitecircle.com/dc-black) Global events (https://dynamitecircle.com/events) Hire remote talent (https://remotefirstrecruiting.com/) Find a remote job (https://dynamitejobs.com/) Listen on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@OfficialTropicalMBA) Follow on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/tropicalmba/) @TropicalMBA (https://twitter.com/TropicalMBA) @AnythingIan (https://twitter.com/AnythingIan) Show Notes: 0:04:38 Do podcast appearances drive business value? 0:07:38 People follow people, not companies. 0:09:39 What is distribution, and why is it important? 0:10:15 The new distribution playbook 0:17:46 Explaining how the loop concept leads to compounding growth 0:19:36 Know when the buying moments happen and ensure you're engaging until they do. 0:23:13 How important is founder talent in terms of business success? 0:24:31 Founders need to focus on the 0-1 phase. 0:27:23 “Data can mislead you from customer energy” 0:28:34 Mistakes when trying to unlock the next level of growth0:26:25 Critical customer feedback vs. nice-to-have ideas 0:30:25 That feeling when you find product-market fit 0:38:47 Do you stay or do you grow? 0:39:11 How to build a durable business 0:41:05 Retooling after raising capital 0:42:48 Taking calculated bets on the quest for growth 0:49:46 How to get the most out of on-the-job experience 0:51:28 The best content Brian's consumed lately Links: Reforge (https://www.reforge.com/) Unsolicited Feedback (https://open.spotify.com/show/7FzVEIBamWnExyJpJ2LCwF?si=f8271632cc704802) Business Hypothesis Canvas (https://brianbalfour.com/essays/business-hypothesis-canvas-reforge) Brian's essays (https://brianbalfour.com/) Brian on 20Growth (https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Dh7hMhrCQhgXQd5X7d16y?si=F4izBr76RrCjxgwH8Q4znQ) Brian on Noah Kagan Presents (https://open.spotify.com/episode/5PQZhItT41J5BR9Cqw5cTk?si=f_qU2lRPQUujmZlFZuY-DA) Brian on Scale or Die (https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Y1ks7h1hgtmE8yVAnqGQY?si=ZamZlnUFQzO947wuBdCI_w) The Changing World Order by Ray Dalio (https://www.amazon.com/Changing-World-Order-Nations-Succeed/dp/1982160276) Parker Conrad's Theory of the Compound Startup (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJ3DT_7jzds) Acquired Podcast (https://open.spotify.com/show/7Fj0XEuUQLUqoMZQdsLXqp?si=ef1069d9d1e04d6d) Past guests on TMBA include Cal Newport, David Heinemeier Hannson, Seth Godin, Ricardo Semler, Noah Kagan, Rob Walling, Jay Clouse, Einar Vollset, Sam Dogan, Gino Wickam, James Clear, Jodie Cook, Mark Webster, Steph Smith, Taylor Pearson, Tommy Griffith, Justin Tan, Matt Gartland, Travis Jamison, Ayman Al-Abdullah, Tynan, Lucy Bella Simkins, Brian Balfour Additional episodes you might enjoy: What Got You Here Won't Get You There (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/what-got-you-here) Millions for Podcasts and Jay Clouse on Memberships (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/jay-clouse-on-memberships) 3 Simple Ways to Improve Your Business (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/3-ways-improve-business)

Get Joe Rivera's FREE Gift by texting "REFORGE" to (646) 495-9867!!!Find out more about Joe Rivera and his work in the links below:Website:https://www.withjoerivera.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/withjoerivera/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@reforgeacademywithjoeriver6288Welcome back to the First Generations Podcast. For this episode, we have a returning guest that made his first appearance back in episode 56. In this episode, we talk about spirituality and how it has played an incredible and critical role in Joe's life. We dive into acceptance of pain, surrendering, fear, faith, the difference between fear and faith, and how these have also played a role in Joe's resilience. We also share Joe's mission and his current endeavours to help the millions around the world that are ready to make a change in their life.When it comes to life's ups and downs, Joe Rivera has been there and done that. He went from earning 7 figures a year to losing it all while hitting rock-bottom after battling substance abuse. As a result of achieving sobriety and happiness, our guest has bounced back and is hitting the ground running. Based on what he learned from rock-bottom and on his upward path to success, he's created a road map that empowers top-earning professionals who are feeling exhausted and powerless. His system uses simple steps to align an individual's mind, body, soul, and finances to achieve ultimate productivity and fulfillment. Our guest was inspired to become a life coach and a motivational speaker simply because he knows what it's like to hit a wall of exhaustion and lack of direction. He knows that there are millions of people out there that have their own personal struggles and are going through something similar to what he went through. His goal is to empower individuals across the nation to use their own resilience to make their own comeback story. Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheFirstGenerationsPodcastWebsite: https://www.thefirstgenerationspodcast.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/FirstGenera... 

Brian Balfour was the Head of Growth at HubSpot, started multiple VC-backed companies, and has grown brands to MILLIONS of daily active users. Today, he's the founder of Reforge — a REALLY cool tool that gives you access to things like onboarding docs, presentation decks, brand positioning, org charts, roadmaps, etc. from top-performing business leaders like:   - Andrew Chen of Andreessen Horowitz - Lauryn Isford the Head of Growth @ Notion - And Helen Kupp the Sr. Director of Product Strategy @ Slack   It's like Github for tech startup businesses.   Check out Reforge at www.reforge.com.   If you've ever wanted to learn about how to SUPERCHARGE your business's growth, you'll love this episode.   In this conversation, you'll enjoy 3 BIG things: - Why being a CEO isn't actually as awesome as people make it seem - What Brian does to make every new business launch EPIC - The EXACT strategies Brian uses to scale companies in a big way   Enjoy those 3 things… plus a bunch more ear nuggets along the way.